


The End

by thequidditchpitch_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Post-War, Romance, The Quidditch Pitch: Eternity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-06-26
Updated: 2007-06-26
Packaged: 2018-10-26 09:13:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10783857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequidditchpitch_archivist/pseuds/thequidditchpitch_archivist
Summary: My very small version of the last chapter of Deathly Hallows. Originally written for a challenge in our hometown, but it ended up too long....





	The End

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

Ouch.

 

          The first conscious thought that Ginny Weasley was able to put together was that she hurt.  Gradually, she opened her eyes, and saw the glow of the pre-dawn light reflecting off of a lake.  She immediately shut them again, squeezing them tight against the threatening tears as memories of the previous night came flooding to her, unbidden, and threatened to overwhelm.

 

          Voldemort and his Death Eaters had come to Hogwarts.  Harry, Ron, and Hermione had returned to the school after Christmas break, forcing themselves through a nightmarish schedule of classes, make-up work, and extra training.  Ginny had been extremely pleased to see Harry again, even at a distance, just to see them safe.  Harry, ever his noble self, had simply looked at her and said, "Not until it's over."  She would have to wait.

 

          Now, however, it _was_ over.  The world was different now.  Ginny had been in the Great Hall for dinner, when Hermione's silvery otter Patronus scrambled up to the Head Table and stopped directly between Professor Flitwick and the Headmistress.  McGonagall sighed tiredly, rose to her feet, and as all attention focused on her, simply stated, "It's time."

 

          Ginny's eyes flew around the Great Hall to Neville, Luna, Justin, and the other members of the DA.  She nodded, and they remained at their places as the rest of the school proceeded back to their respective dormitories.  The DA had decided that when the time came, they would stand and defend their small part of the world.  Working with Professor Shacklebolt, their Defence lessons often included strategies.  Once Ron returned to classes, those lessons only increased in intensity and difficulty.  Hermione's research into obscure spells and defensive jinxes kept everyone on their toes.  Harry's main contribution was, well, simply to be Harry.  Ginny watched as the frown lines grew deeper, the smiles didn't quite reach his eyes, and the determination made Harry grow stronger than goblin-made steel.

 

          As Ginny gradually reacquainted herself with her own moving parts, she continued to watch as the sun started on its daily trek, this time on a new era in the Wizarding world.  The shadows disappeared as the light slipped across the body-strewn lawns of Hogwarts.

 

          The great oaken doors of the castle creaked open, and the grey, tired face of Madam Pomfrey peered out.  Seeing no magical activity, she pulled open the doors fully, and several students spilled out with stretchers, following her orders.  Ginny struggled to sit up, and was soon assisted by two young Ravenclaws.

 

          "Do you know where any of my brothers are?" she croaked out.  Ginny winced, and was startled to hear her voice sound so awful.  She supposed that the rough tenor had come from the screaming during the fight.  Both younger students ruefully shook their heads.  Now that Ginny's head was clearing, her immediate thoughts were of her family and Harry.  Five of her six brothers had been here last night.  Bill had left his wife, Fleur, with Madam Pomfrey to help tend the injured.  Ginny saw the silver-blond tresses of her sister-in-law flying toward her oldest brother, as he limped up the lawn.  Bill's left arm was dangling, useless, while the right was draped around the shoulders of the dragon-taming Weasley, Charlie.  

 

          Well.  That was two down.  Now to find the other three.  Ginny looked around wildly for the twins.  A bit of laughter floated in the slight breeze, from the direction of the Quidditch Pitch.  She turned and saw her two mischievous brothers supporting Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks toward the castle.  Ginny's concern dwindled down to her favourite brother, his fiancée, and her own love.

 

          Striding down the lawns, she passed the bodies of many Death Eaters, faces frozen in agony beyond death.  Picking up speed, Ginny ignored the aches and pains from the previous night.  She rounded the corner of the castle and saw them.

 

          Ron was sitting on the grass, holding Hermione close, and both were crying.  Harry, _her_ Harry, was propped up against Dumbledore's tomb, his glasses all crooked, and a slight trickle of blood dripping down the side of his face.  His wand, now scorched and splintered, lay nearby; its twin lying fused with it in a similar state.  The abnormal, pale shell of what was once Tom Riddle lay just beyond that, his serpentine face distorted in the same look of agony Ginny had seen earlier.

 

          "It worked, Ginny."

 

          Ginny started, and stared blankly at Ron, his voice croaking out the expression of victory.

 

          "The _Amortus_ Spell.  It worked.  Harry cast it at that ... thing.  Hermione added to it, and then I put mine in too.  The whole thing exploded, and when we could see again, he was dead."  Ron waved feebly towards both Harry and Voldemort's body.

 

          Ginny sprinted to Harry's side, pulling him into her arms.  _Please let him be alive,_ she silently wished.  Harry's shallow breathing and slow heartbeat granted her desires, and she, too, burst into tears of joy.  As Harry stirred, and struggled to right himself, she rained gentle kisses on his head and face.  "You're alive!  We won!" she kept repeating over and over.

 

          Harry opened his eyes to the girl, no, woman that he loved, the source of his ability to cast that wondrous spell. "It was you. It's always you, Ginny.  Ron and Hermione showed me what the love of friends can be, and the depth of that love.  Your parents showed me what love of a family is, and freely gave me that love as well.  But you, you gave me the ultimate love, and that is what gave the spell the final push.  ‘The power he knows not?'  Dumbledore was right, Ginny.  It was love."  Harry closed his eyes and smiled tiredly.  "We just had to survive all the hate and bitterness and power-hungry minions first."

 

          Ginny looked at Harry, the rising sun lighting his face, and said rather unexpectedly, "Okay, now it's over.  I want a boyfriend back!"

 

          All four friends chuckled, and Harry opened his eyes again.  He slowly cupped Ginny's face with both his hands, and kissed her quite soundly.

 

          "Oi!  Potter!  I don't care if you did just save the world!  No snogging my sister in front of me!"  Ron's face flushed a bright crimson as Harry started to reach for his now-useless wand.  "At least until you make it official, mate."  Ron corrected.

 

          "In that case," Harry turned back to Ginny, "Will you marry me?"

 

          Ginny was so startled by Harry's question that she couldn't say anything.  She just stared at him.  She was expecting him to ask her to be his girlfriend, not to marry him and be his wife!  This was far and beyond all her dreams!

 

          "Well, if you don't want to, er..., I guess it's okay ..., we don't, um..."  Harry, looking somewhat crestfallen, stared down at the grass and picked at a few blades as his voice trailed off.

 

          "Oh, Harry!  Of course I will!"  Ginny swept him into a hug worthy of her mother.  "I was just in shock for a moment!"  She kissed him again, just as soundly as before, this time to applause from both Ron and Hermione.

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ 

 

          It took some time for the Wizarding world to recover from the evils that were wrought by Dark Magic.  All of those bearing the Dark Mark had perished, as Harry's love and magic overwhelmed the charm placed there by evil.  Even those in Ministry custody were gone, dead with the same look of abject terror and agony on their faces.

 

          The bodies of Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape were found later, similarly frozen in time, just outside of the gates of Hogwarts.  It was never determined which side they were headed to support.  Both, however, were much thinner and worn, as though hiding had done neither of them any good.  Amongst the side of Light, only injuries were reported, miraculously no loss of life.  It seemed that love did protect the good, and help heal the world so torn by evil.


End file.
